Sunday, 12 July 1993
As the Marvel vs ZAGE hype continued to sweep across Japan, Zaboru's next task took him to YaDo Studio—the anime production company now owned by ZAGE. Currently, YaDo had two major hits airing weekly on TV Tokyo: Sailor Moon and Let's'n Go. Both series boasted incredibly high ratings and had become pop culture sensations in their own right.
Zaboru stepped into the bustling YaDo office and was soon greeted by Yasu Domachi, the studio's former owner. Yasu was a middle-aged man with a stern demeanor and sharp eyes. Though he had sold YaDo to ZAGE, he still treated the studio like his own child. He had only agreed to the sale because he trusted Zaboru's vision—and that trust had paid off. Under ZAGE, YaDo had become one of Japan's most respected animation studios.
The two sat comfortably on a couch in a quiet meeting room.
"So, Yasu-san, how are things going with the current shows?" Zaboru asked.
Yasu grinned. "They're going great, Zaboru. We expect Sailor Moon to wrap up in November and Let's'n Go to finish in January. We're already deep in production for the next series to replace Sailor Moon—your project, Gundam."
Zaboru nodded. "It's a shame we couldn't release Gundam in June, but quality comes first. Make sure it's polished. As for the series following Let's'n Go, I want to go with this."
He handed Yasu a folder labeled Pokemon.
Yasu raised an eyebrow. "Pokemon? Another anime based on your game?"
Zaboru smiled confidently. "Yes, but this one will be something else. Trust me."
The Pokemon anime is essential—not just because it's an engaging show, especially for children who are bound to love it, but also because it doubles as powerful marketing for the ZAGE Pokemon game. If someone watches the anime without having played the game, their curiosity will naturally lead them to seek it out. It's a direct way to expand the fanbase and drive sales through storytelling.
Yasu gave a short sigh, then chuckled. "Of course, I trust you. After what you did with Sailor Moon, I stopped doubting you." Yasu had once doubted Zaboru's vision for Sailor Moon, questioning how an anime about a group of transforming high school girls could possibly become a hit. But Zaboru had been persistent, confident in the concept's appeal. In the end, he proved Yasu wrong—Sailor Moon had not only performed well, it had become a cultural phenomenon in Japan.
Zaboru laughed. "Good to hear. Now, I have another idea. Have you ever thought about creating an animated movie?"
Yasu tilted his head, intrigued. "A movie, huh? That's a different beast. Weekly anime and films are worlds apart. We've never made one ourselves, though we've supported some as an outsourced team."
"Exactly," Zaboru replied. "I want you to explore the possibility. See if YaDo's current manpower can handle a full-length feature. Once you have a rough concept, let me know."
Yasu nodded. "Got it. I'll start planning."
After wrapping up their meeting, Zaboru left YaDo and made his way to Hakushensha—the publishing company also acquired by ZAGE. It was run by Tomizawa Bakurou, older brother of arcade owner Toki Bakurou. Hakushensha was already crucial to ZAGE's growing media empire. It published ZAGE POWER, a monthly magazine that had become a top seller.
Today's visit, however, wasn't about the magazine. Zaboru had something more ambitious in mind: launching a monthly manga and a weekly manga publication This idea had already been in motion for some time, but implementation had been delayed due to one major hurdle—Hakushensha was still searching for the right manga artists to bring the project to life.
Sitting across from Tomizawa in his office, Zaboru opened the conversation.
"I can't believe you dragged me here on a Sunday," Tomizawa grumbled.
Zaboru smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Tomi-san. I'm flying to the U.S. tomorrow, so this was the only time."
Tomizawa smirked and sipped his coffee. "I'm just messing with you don't worry hahaha anyway So, we're finally talking about the weekly and monthly manga projects?"
Zaboru nodded and asked, "I heard it's almost ready, is that right?"
Tomi nod and said "Exactly. We're almost ready. Just waiting on Akira Toriyama to submit his new series. I think it's called Dragon Ball, and he's aiming to publish it in early September?"
Zaboru's eyes lit up. So Toriyama-san is ending Arale earlier than in my previous world—and now comes Dragon Ball. Hahaha... incredible.
Zaboru couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement at the mention of Dragon Ball. Just hearing the name stirred something deep within him. It wasn't just a manga—it was the legendary manga, a series that would shape pop culture, spark imaginations, and inspire generations. The idea of it being reborn under his publishing wing gave him a sense of pride and anticipation he hadn't felt in years.
As for Zaboru and Akira Toriyama himself yhey had already struck a deal. Toriyama would be publishing his new work with Hakushensha. That was a massive win.
Zaboru looked back at Tomizawa. "That's great news. Also, could you send me a list of manga you personally approve for either the monthly or weekly lineup? I've already greenlit some series, like Toriyama-san's work and Hokuto no Ken, drawn by Tetsuo Hara."
Tomizawa nodded. "Sure thing. I'll send the list to ZAGE HQ tomorrow."
"Perfect. Thanks, Tomi-san."
Zaboru was eager to know which manga titles would be featured in the first batch of the weekly and monthly Hakushensha magazines. He made a mental note to ask Tomizawa to report directly to him whenever new manga were submitted. Even just receiving the titles would be enough—Zaboru didn't want to risk overlooking a future hit.
With business concluded, Zaboru left Hakushensha and returned to the ZAGE office for one final check-in before his flight. Not long after, Ayumi arrived. As promised, the couple had planned to spend the evening together before his departure.
Ayumi brought fresh bread and homemade cookies, and Zaboru happily munched away. Her baking had definitely improved, and the warmth between them was undeniable.
"Ayumi, your baking skills are something else," Zaboru said, munching on bread and sipping milk before savoring one of the cookies.
Ayumi chuckled. "Hehehe, glad you like it! Keiko-san helped me a lot!"
Zaboru smiled. "That explains it. Mom is the best cook in the whole universe, after all."
Ayumi's eyes lit up. "I know, right? She's just really good! Hehehe. But still, Zabo! How can you eat like that? You eat so much!"
Ayumi giggled as Zaboru grinned. "I'm still in my growing phase—and my brain needs a lot of calories!" Ayumi giggled and gently placed a cookie into Zaboru's mouth. He devoured it with a satisfied crunch, munching happily. She loved moments like this—he reminded her of a big, hungry rabbit, and the thought made her smile even wider.
They shared a fun evening—no business, no strategy. Just laughter, simple food, playful banter, and the comfort of each other's company. They even played a few games together, cheering and teasing like kids without a care in the world Though Ayumi felt a quiet sadness inside knowing that Zaboru would leave for America tomorrow—and that she couldn't go with him because of her commitments at Akaishidan, working alongside her brother on their new game—she never let it show. Ayumi was always supportive. She didn't want to become an obstacle in Zaboru's path; she wanted to be his strength.
To be continued
Please give me your power stone and if you want to support me and get minimum 10 advance chapter for 3 bucks considering subscribe to my patreon patreon.com/Zaborn_1997
Also Join my discord if you want https://discord.gg/jB8x6TUByc